Heated seats retrofit for vinyl E53

skialex · #1 11-07-2010, 02:41 PM

Hello, first of all, this is a cross-post from bimmerfest, so I apologize in advance to those who are seeing it twice. Here is my question ( I searched the past threads, but was not able to find the exact information I am looking for):

I am a proud new owner of a base model 2004 3.0i E53 with leatherette (vinyl) interior. The car is great, but the only thing I am really missing is heated front seats. We go skiing almost every weekend, so heated seats would make a huge difference on those early mornings. I was wondering if it is possible to install the heated seats as a retrofit. I would like to stay to the OEM parts and look as much as I can. Thnaks in advance,

Alex

P.S. I looked over the web some and there is lot of conflicting info, some say it will cost $160, others say it will require new seat cushions and would run up to $3K, so clealry I am not understanding all the details.

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Lookin4Trouble · #2 11-07-2010, 02:47 PM

Good luck Alex, I've been asking the same question since I bought my X5. I found the center console switch on ebay for ~$70 shipped, but I need the BMW Tech Lit how-to's, and my local stealership isn't willing to print anything from the HG52 (tech manual) for owner consumption. If you can weasel your way into the tech manual stuff, the following lit's are what's needed:

01290390167 - User manual pages for "how to operate heated seats"
01290392287 - Tech manual pages - retrofitting driver side heated seats
01290392288 - Tech manual pages - retrofitting passenger side heated seats

I had a much longer reply all typed up with everything else I'd found out so far, but forum software decided I needed to go back a page, then forward a page again, so it all got baleeted.

E

skialex · #3 11-07-2010, 03:06 PM

Thanks! I will try to talk to a local dealer, they have been relatively nice to me when I was looking for hard-to-find parts.

I was wondering if you know anything about whether those base model cars are prewired for heated seats? Some people claim that you just have to replace a panel in the dash and connect the wires, and some people claim that you basically have to get all new interior. Thanks!

Alex

P.S. I know I can just put some sheepskin covers for the cold weekends and solve the problem, but doing that kind of sucks in a BMW...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lookin4Trouble

Good luck Alex, I've been asking the same question since I bought my X5. I found the center console switch on ebay for ~$70 shipped, but I need the BMW Tech Lit how-to's, and my local stealership isn't willing to print anything from the HG52 (tech manual) for owner consumption. If you can weasel your way into the tech manual stuff, the following lit's are what's needed:

01290390167 - User manual pages for "how to operate heated seats"
01290392287 - Tech manual pages - retrofitting driver side heated seats
01290392288 - Tech manual pages - retrofitting passenger side heated seats

I had a much longer reply all typed up with everything else I'd found out so far, but forum software decided I needed to go back a page, then forward a page again, so it all got baleeted.

E

Lookin4Trouble · #4 11-07-2010, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skialex

Thanks! I will try to talk to a local dealer, they have been relatively nice to me when I was looking for hard-to-find parts.

I was wondering if you know anything about whether those base model cars are prewired for heated seats? Some people claim that you just have to replace a panel in the dash and connect the wires, and some people claim that you basically have to get all new interior. Thanks!

Alex

P.S. I know I can just put some sheepskin covers for the cold weekends and solve the problem, but doing that kind of sucks in a BMW...

Hah you just hit on exactly what I'd come up with in a couple months of poking around, that the forum software ate earlier...

I've seen people say they're prewired and such, but I'm not sure if that was just the V8's, or just the V8's with leather, or if there's even a grain of truth to it at all. Hopefully if you can get the actual tech lit's, the info will be in there. From what I've gathered, the heated seat elements are sewn into the seat covers and they're just a bladder full of heat-conductive fluid. When I press on my seats with a finger or two, it does feel like I have something between the leather and the foam padding, but I don't have an example seat that I know is heated to check against.

And yea, the woolly covers over top of the nice BMW interior is major suckage, I would almost rather go with the stock look without any kind of heating and deal with the cold than put a cover over my sport package seats...

skialex · #5 11-07-2010, 03:42 PM

Well my car is pretty much a bare bones X5 (but a rare beast- a 6sp manual, so its fun to drive), I dont think I can feel any fluid when I poke on the cushion, so maybe there is a way to retrofit a heating element under it... Looks like a major research project and a major PITA after that...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lookin4Trouble

Hah you just hit on exactly what I'd come up with in a couple months of poking around, that the forum software ate earlier...

I've seen people say they're prewired and such, but I'm not sure if that was just the V8's, or just the V8's with leather, or if there's even a grain of truth to it at all. Hopefully if you can get the actual tech lit's, the info will be in there. From what I've gathered, the heated seat elements are sewn into the seat covers and they're just a bladder full of heat-conductive fluid. When I press on my seats with a finger or two, it does feel like I have something between the leather and the foam padding, but I don't have an example seat that I know is heated to check against.

And yea, the woolly covers over top of the nice BMW interior is major suckage, I would almost rather go with the stock look without any kind of heating and deal with the cold than put a cover over my sport package seats...

TowX · #6 11-08-2010, 02:41 PM

I had a local reputable upholstery shop install an aftermarket seat heater in my 528. They removed the seat, took it apart, installed the heat pads in the base and back, installed a factory BMW switch and repaired a torn seam in my seat- $275. This shop is where both my BMW and Audi dealers send cars for seat and upholstery repairs. The seat heater works exactly like the factory heater in my X5.

JCL · #7 11-08-2010, 03:11 PM

There are quite a few posts on the board about doing this.

Most get discouraged when they find out it is $2000 + for OE parts.

The wiring is there in the E53, between the centre switch console and the seats. That makes it a little easier. You need a new centre switch console (SZM) and you need the heated seats.

The heater elements are not liquid, they are a pad that is sewn into the seat cover. Installing OE means buying new seat covers with the elements in them and having an upholstery shop install them, or do it yourself. You could also buy seats from a wrecked X5, or have an upholstery shop put aftermarket heating pads in your own seats, then connect to the BMW wiring.

Look at realoem for the retrofit kit, it also shows the heating elements.

RealOEM.com * BMW E53 X5 3.0i Front seat heating retrofit

RealOEM.com * BMW E53 X5 3.0i Base seat upholstery parts, front

Search on 'heated seats retrofit' here in this forum. It was a much more popular topic in the early days of the E53.

Some threads to get you started:

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...seat-swap.html

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...yone-done.html

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...-retrofit.html

skialex · #8 11-08-2010, 04:51 PM

Thanks for the information, this is very helpful. SInce I have vinyl and I am not switching the whole interior to leather, it looks like we have to go aftermarket route. I snooped around and I saw quite a bit of models, but somehow they are all using the same-looking switch and pad. Is most of those kits made by Rostra?

How do I go about finding a good installer in the SF Bay Area (on the first glance it looks a little too much for a DIY project)?

Can I wire the aftermarket pads to the BMW OEM switches (I will have to replace the panel on the lower dashboard), or is it better to install aftermarket switches on the side of the seats?

Thank you very much for all the help,

Alex

JCL · #9 11-08-2010, 06:08 PM

I don't understand why you couldn't have the OE pads without leather if you so chose. BMW call it imitation leather, not vinyl, in the realoem link. We had heated seats on several BMW vehicles without having leather.

Can't help with the installer, maybe an SFB area resident can help.

Yes, you can wire the aftermarket pads to the OE switches. Or install aftermarket switches. Aftermarket switches re likely cheaper, but they look aftermarket. Your call.

skialex · #10 11-08-2010, 09:07 PM

Oh, I see, I didn't scroll far enough to see the imitation leather part. Since I am trying to stay well under 1,000 for the heated seat cost, I'd probably need to look into having aftermarket heater pads and wire them to the BMW wiring and BMW control panel. DO you have any recommendations on what pads to look at?

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